Cape needs animal shelter... (Miami, Cape Coral: apartment, rent, credit card)

[Radoneric]

Gulf Coast shelter is working on such plans, but has a long way to go to fund it. I am attending a meeting Sept. 1st to see what is happening and what I might be able to do to help. We need this very badly here in such a large community. Lee County Humane Society is a KILL SHELTER. We would have a no kill shelter like Gulf Coast here and please pass the word. Lets get together and get this thing on the road to building!
Big donations welcome!!! Lets contact those that could afford to help! Suggestions: Oprah, Dr. Phil, Taylor Swift, Virgin Airlines (the owner of course), etc. Too many dogs, cats, etc. are being abandoned and abused. The spread of violence has affected these innocent creatures also.

[NoSnow4me]

I love animals, but a strictly no-kill shelter is doomed to fail. A lot of animals that are brought to shelters are truly lost causes and will never be adopted. Over time, they'll accumulate and cost the shelter more and more in care and medical expenses. It's sad, but it just isn't sustainable without a hefty influx of money that the city can't provide. Private money is the only way it could happen, and it still wouldn't last forever.

[chiluvr1228]

When I lived in the Cape I was appalled that Cape Coral with their population only had one hospital and no animal shelter.


And while Lee County Animal Shelter is a kill shelter they do try hard to adopt out as many animals as possible. If an animal is old, sick or not friendly that is their only option. And the blame for the unwanted animals goes right to the pet owner who doesn't spay or neuter their pet, especially cats. Every year all the shelters are inundated with way too many kittens than they can ever find homes for. Some animals become aggressive in a caged environment.


Unfortunately most of the no kill shelters take in what they consider an "adoptable pet". Gulf Coast does great work and have saved animals that many shelters would have turned away or euthanized.


If every adult who lived on the Cape donated $10 to Gulf Coast Humane Society that would be a million dollars. So Cape Coral get on it!

[don1945]

Originally Posted by NoSnow4me

I love animals, but a strictly no-kill shelter is doomed to fail. A lot of animals that are brought to shelters are truly lost causes and will never be adopted. Over time, they'll accumulate and cost the shelter more and more in care and medical expenses. It's sad, but it just isn't sustainable without a hefty influx of money that the city can't provide. Private money is the only way it could happen, and it still wouldn't last forever.

Not necessarily true. No kills are generally staffed by volunteers who do it simply for the love of animals. We have rescued a few cats and gotten a few kittens adopted by a local group. They foster cats and find them forever homes.

The feral cat situation is totally out of hand, and I guess, from reading this thread, that dogs are too. So very sad. These poor animals are left to fend for themselves against cars, predators, hunger, and disease. At one time we had from 8-10 cats we would feed every night at our shop, and now they are all gone and we only have one left that we have fed for the past 4 years.

I hope you in the Cape are able to do something to help these poor little guys out.

On

[LifeIsGood01]

Kill Shelters are very sad. I lived in Broward county when I got my dogs. There are so many unwanted pit bulls that are brought over from Miami Dade county where they are not allowed and dumped there to be killed.

I wanted a little dog. I found the cutest, friendliest year and a half old healthy chihuahua. He was in a dog run and trying to sneak out from underneath. I took him home. Most small dogs were in stacked cages but most of those already have a hold and are not available. I wanted a Yorkie at first and put a deposit on one, but he was lost and his owner claimed him within 4 days.

I thought about getting another dog since mine needed a buddy. I saw on their Facebook site that there was a Chihuahua that was last call, he was gonna be put down because no one wanted him, so I went and adopted him, he is the happiest dog I ever met.

That shelter saddens me because so many healthy animals have to be put down because no one wants them.

I took a picture of my dogs freedom ride home from the shelter.

Monkey is the tan guy, I got him first, and then Buster 6 months later, you can see the hope in his eyes as he snuck his head out the back seat.

[Schaumburger1]

Originally Posted by LifeIsGood01

Kill Shelters are very sad. I lived in Broward county when I got my dogs. There are so many unwanted pit bulls that are brought over from Miami Dade county where they are not allowed and dumped there to be killed.

I wanted a little dog. I found the cutest, friendliest year and a half old healthy chihuahua. He was in a dog run and trying to sneak out from underneath. I took him home. Most small dogs were in stacked cages but most of those already have a hold and are not available. I wanted a Yorkie at first and put a deposit on one, but he was lost and his owner claimed him within 4 days.

I thought about getting another dog since mine needed a buddy. I saw on their Facebook site that there was a Chihuahua that was last call, he was gonna be put down because no one wanted him, so I went and adopted him, he is the happiest dog I ever met.

That shelter saddens me because so many healthy animals have to be put down because no one wants them.

I took a picture of my dogs freedom ride home from the shelter.

Monkey is the tan guy, I got him first, and then Buster 6 months later, you can see the hope in his eyes as he snuck his head out the back seat.

LifeIsGood...bless you for rescuing Buster.

[LifeIsGood01]

Originally Posted by Schaumburger1

LifeIsGood...bless you for rescuing Buster.

Thanks, he's such a good boy, I'm so lucky to have found him. He's so happy and grateful. From the picture the shelter placed on Facebook he had been starved. He only weighed as much as my smaller dog, but he's 1/3 bigger. By the time I found him in the shelter and they fed him he was better.

The way they left him there was a shame. The dropped him off after hours instead of taking him to the 24 hour drop off place, so they just threw him over a 6 foot fence in the parking lot and he was there alone with no water for the rest of the night.

When I saw him in the dog run he wasn't paying attention, just walking around the other dogs in a circle, but I still wanted to give him a home.

Twice the first month he stole food off the table, but each time I put him in time out and he learned that he would always have food. He wasn't taught how to behave for the most part, but he was housetrained, and never bit me nor the other dog.. Also he didn't bark for a month, I thought he was mute, but I think he was hit when he barked. Anyway now he is happy and I'm lucky to have him. He's a great watch dog, would protects me as much as he could too. I'm so happy I took a chance on him.

[Radoneric]

Gulf Coast has handed the job of building a Cape Coral Shelter to a committee that is meeting in Cape Coral on a regular basis. There are no kill shelters. There are rescue shelters that grab a dog from a kill shelter and find a foster, get medical treatment for the animal. There is one in California that raises money through donations on line across the country, which is a huge undertaking and is doing an amazing job. It all has to start somewhere. There is much to do...and educating people about the care of animals, etc. is important also. Much goes into a shelter and those that are willing to help truly are angels. These animals are innocent, many victims of abuse, abandonment, overbreeding and puppy mills. Laws should be stiff against those that would harm an animal. There are many people willing to work to help the cause. You will be seeing more about the work being done to build a Cape Coral Shelter.

[GrouperK]

There's an underlying issue; people who feel the need to keep animals and breed them (children as well) when they can't even, or can barely care for themselves.

I need a permit/license/background check to drive a car, go fishing, carry a gun, rent an apartment, get a credit card, get a loan, get a good job, etc? Yes, all of those things are within my rights. But I have to pay for them and go through some type of hoop. Why can't there be the same standard for someone who thinks they should have a right to care for another living being?

There wouldn't be as much of a need for shelters if common sense was a common thing. It's getting worse. Sorry to say, but there is a need for kill shelters. It's becoming an epidemic.

[chiluvr1228]

Many rescues and animal services DO check for certain things. I wish I knew the answer for the pet overpopulation problem but some people just don't care and having a license to own a pet will most likely only be adhered to by law abiding citizens.


We have people out there who drive despite having suspended licenses - I doubt those types of people are going to be concerned about a pet license. Then you have the people who feel it is their "right" to have a pet and the government doesn't need to be involved. It is an uphill battle for those who care for the unwanted animals.


My biggest suggestion would be to NEVER, EVER buy a dog from a pet shop and have your pet neutered or spayed. Despite what the pet store may tell you, 99% of the time the parents of those cute puppies are languishing in small cages 24/7 with no love, no attention and no medical care. Ditto for the backyard "breeder" who is only looking to make a buck and keeps their animals in horrid conditions.


Google National Mill Dog Rescue. This is a wonderful organization that takes the dogs that are no longer wanted from the puppy mill breeders, vets them and finds them homes.